New look for bus firm’s fleet

Galashiels Braw Lad and Lass, Gavin Young and Alice Mackay helped launch the new First Borders liveries

Bus operator First Borders has announced improvements to its services which link the Borders with Edinburgh.

All buses on the X62 route will have free wi-fi for passengers and buses on both it and the X95 route between Edinburgh and Carlisle have been given a facelift.

The X95 service has been rebranded ‘X95 The Ridings’ and all ten buses operating on it have been given one of three new liveries, representing the Common Ridings in Galashiels, Hawick and Selkirk.

The six double-decker buses operating on the X62 service have been given a new tartan livery.

Managing director of First Borders, Paul McGowan, said: “I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to introduce a new look and feel to the buses that I’m confident will be welcomed by customers.

“I’m pleased too that passengers will benefit from free wi-fi on Service X62. Having seen the success and popularity of the free wi-fi on our X95 services over the last 12 months, it was an easy decision to give X62 customers the same benefits.”

Mr McGowan added: “We want more people to travel by bus, and to travel by bus more often. At First Borders, we are working hard to improve our services so that we can attract more customers and we’re confident that these improvements to X62 and X95 services will prove popular with customers and help attract more people out of their cars and onto the bus.”

First has distributed bus discount vouchers totalling more than £185,000 to more than 15,000 households on the routes.